Tender chicken in scallion-flavored sauce, this Chinese-style shredded chicken recipe is easy and quick and makes the perfect dinner recipe.
When I was a kid, shredded chicken (手撕鸡) was a family takeout favorite. It won hearts with its crispy battered chunks of chicken coated in fragrant scallion oil.
However, as I grow older, the shredded chicken from local restaurants doesn’t seem to taste the same. That’s why it has been on my to-do list since I started to cook for myself.
I have tried multiple different versions of shredded chicken since then. And I always want to deliver the same flavor with simpler steps and ingredients, which is tricky for a traditional Chinese recipe.
However, after trial and error, I finally found an easy-to-follow shredded chicken recipe that doesn’t compromise its flavor. With a few basic ingredients, you can recreate this classic Chinese takeout in your kitchen as well.
What makes this Chinese shredded chicken recipe so special?
Shredded chicken is one of my favorite Asian chicken recipes for a reason. First of all, it’s boneless and tender. Then, all the chicken is shredded into slices, making cuts as lean as the breast still tastes amazing.
And secondly, the chicken is coated with scallion-flavored oil, giving it a unique aroma and flavor.
This dish is also super versatile. Because it’s served mostly cold on a Chinese table, it can be an appetizer as well as the main dish for dinner.
This also means you don’t need to reheat the leftover. All you need is to take it out from the fridge and warm it to room temperature.
How to make shredded chicken with scallion sauce
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized bone-in Chicken Thighs (or 9.5 ounces of meat)
- 1 bunch of Scallion
- 50 grams of Ginger
- 2tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2tbsp Light Soy sauce
- 1tsp Sugar
- 2tbsp Cooking Oil
- Salt, to taste
Step-by-step instructions
- Prepare the Chicken and Flavoring Ingredients
To get started on this delicious chicken dish, rinse your chicken thighs with cold water and set them aside. Then, peel and chop up 50 grams of ginger into thin slices and cut three scallions in half.
Next, add the ginger, half of the scallions, two tablespoons of cooking wine, and a pinch of salt to a pot of water. This flavor-packed mixture will take your chicken to the next level!
- Boil the Chicken
Infuse your chicken with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine by adding the chicken thighs to the pot and letting it boil over medium heat for 20 minutes. This simple step ensures your chicken is cooked to perfection and bursts with flavor.
- Simmer the Chicken
After 20 minutes of simmering, it’s time to add the final touch. Turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid, allowing the chicken to soak up all the delicious flavors for an extra 5 minutes.
- Cool the Chicken
Prepare a pot of ice water while the chicken is simmering. Once the chicken has finished simmering, remove it from the pot and place it in the ice water. This step will help cool the chicken down quickly and prevent overcooking.
- Shred the Chicken
Once the chicken has cooled down completely, remove it from the ice water and shred it into thin slices on a plate. This step will allow the chicken to absorb the sauce and make it easier to eat.
- Prepare the Sauce
In a bowl, mix two tablespoons of light soy sauce, one tablespoon of oyster sauce, and one teaspoon of sugar. This step will provide a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the chicken.
- Pan-fry the Scallions
Heat two tablespoons of oil over low heat in a pan. Add the remaining scallions to the pan and pan-fry them until they become crispy. Remove the scallions from the pan and set them aside. This step will provide a crisp and aromatic topping for the chicken.
- Add the Sauce and Serve
Pour the oil from the pan into the sauce and stir until evenly mixed. Pour the sauce onto the shredded chicken. Sprinkle sesame over the chicken and place the fried scallions on top. Serve the dish with rice or noodles. This final step will add a rich and flavorful sauce to the chicken, making it a delicious meal.
Tips for making the perfect Chinese shredded chicken
The secret to making delicious shredded chicken lies in the cooking process and the ingredients. Here are a few tips to make flavorful and tender shredded chicken:
- Use bone-in chicken: Bone-in chicken thighs are more flavorful, tender, and moist than chicken breast. The bone helps maintain the texture of the meat during the cooking process. And because you will hand pull the meat, the bone won’t add to your cooking time.
- Infuse the chicken with flavors: Cooking the chicken with ginger, scallions, cooking wine, and salt helps infuse it with flavor, making it more delicious.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Overcooking chicken can make it dry and tough, so it’s essential to cook it just enough to be fully cooked.
- Let the chicken cool down: Soaking the chicken in ice water will help it cool down faster, keep its texture, and make it easier to handle and shred.
- Use a flavorful sauce: The sauce used to coat the shredded chicken should be flavorful and complement the taste of the chicken. A mixture of light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar can provide a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the chicken.
By following these tips, you can make delicious shredded chicken that is tender, juicy, and flavorful.
What to serve with this shredded chicken recipe?
This shredded chicken dish would be delicious served with either rice or noodles. The savory sauce pairs well with the neutral taste of rice, making it a popular serving option alongside this dish.
Noodles, on the other hand, can provide a contrasting texture to the shredded chicken, adding a bit of chewiness to the dish. To add more flavor, consider making this quick Chow Mein recipe!
In addition, you can also serve some steamed or stir-fried vegetables on the side to add some freshness to the meal. So, if you have yet to try morning glory vegetable, it’s time to give it a go.
Chinese Shredded Chicken In Scallion Sauce
Tender chicken smothered in scallion-flavored sauce, this Chinese-style shredded chicken recipe is easy and quick and makes the perfect dinner recipe.
Ingredients
- 7 small-sized bone-in Chicken Thighs (equivalent of 10 ounces of meat)
- 1 bunch of Scallion
- 50 grams of Ginger
- 2tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2tbsp Light Soy sauce
- 1tsp Sugar
- 2tbsp Cooking Oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare chicken and flavoring ingredients by rinsing chicken thigh under cold water, slicing ginger, and cutting scallions in half. Add them with cooking wine and salt to a pot of water.
- Boil chicken for 20 minutes over medium heat to thoroughly cook and infuse flavors.
- Simmer the chicken for an additional 5 minutes with the lid on to allow the chicken to absorb flavors.
- Cool the chicken in ice water to stop cooking and make it easier to handle.
- Shred the cooled chicken into thin slices on a plate.
- Mix light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in a bowl for the sauce.
- Heat oil in a pan, add remaining scallions and fry until crispy. Set aside.
- Add the sauce to the shredded chicken, sprinkle sesame seeds, and top with fried scallions. Serve with rice or noodles.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 1162mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
